NCIS I Actions and Reactions
by Jochern
Summary: A short story about a high school where a girl on a continued basis messes with a specific boy until he decides to teach her a lesson by bringing his father's gun to school. Followed by the ramifications of both their actions. Sense the girl's father is a marine Gibbs team is called in.
1. Chapter 1

Action and Reaction Chapter 1

**Westyard High**

Max Wellington is seventeen years old with messy brown hair resembling a bird's nest. He wears a blue hoodie and a pair of light blue jeans. With his brown eyes attached to look at the floor he walked through the schools hallways he walked with a brown bag on his back and his hands in his pockets.

Stopping by his locker he entered the combination and opened the blue door. He moved the bag from his back and into the locker, looking around before opening it. With no one around paying attention to him he opened the bag and picked out a red notebook. But he also took out a black four decimeter long object and placed in on the top shelf. He hid it under a towel from view.

Picking up the notebook and closed the locker and walked to his first class of the day.

Walking towards the door he noticed Chelsea Vaughn. No one could go by and not notice her bright and long red silken looking hair. She was as usually dressed rather provocatively. It was kind of her thing. She had black tights and really short black shorts. She wears a red tight shirt with an exposed cleavage and her bare arms exposed as it has no sleeves. Her blue eyes caught Max coming towards her.

She was standing with two of her friends. Anna Hawkins and Brenda Young. Anna Young was a blonde with shoulder long hair and beautiful green eyes. She wears black tights and a dark blue pair of short shorts. She have a white top on and high heels.

Brenda Young has long curled brown hair, going passed her shoulders and down her upper back. She is wearing dark blue jeans and a green long shirt without sleeves and a tiny cleavage.

The three girls seemed to giggle about something as he closed in on them. Max ignored them and continued passed them. But as he did he felt his feet disappear under him and he fell to the floor.

The three girls giggled and Max looked over his shoulder at them. His narrowing eyes making them giggled more.

"Sorry Max", Chelsea said cockily with a smirk on her soft lips. "Guess you should watch your steps a bit more, huh".

It wasn't the first time Chelsea had done something like this to him. Not even close and there always seem to be no one caring to help him. The only option is to handle it himself now.

Without a word he got up and grabbed his notebook and continued into the classroom. The last he heard was the three giggling again.

Max quietly sat down in his seat and awaited the teacher, Mr Shumaker to begin the class.

The class lasted for an hour and every time Max got a question he shrugged. Some of the answers he knew, but he didn't care to answer Mr Shumaker's questions, sense he has other things on his mind. After class Mr Shumaker had a conversation with him about his behavior in class. It lasted for a few minutes until he was excused to go for recess. Walking down a hallway he heard Chelsea say something to him, but he didn't hear or cared to hear it.

Another class went by, lunch went by and when he picked his red notebook from his locker he removed the thick black object and hid it under his hoodie in the jeans waist line. He also picked out his history book before closing the locker.

Was he doing the right thing? No one was willing to help him and his drunken father certainly wasn't. Not to forget his stepmother who didn't care for him. She liked the dishwasher more then she respected and liked him. No, it is the only way. He couldn't back out now. The only road left was forward.

Walking into the class Carter and Charlie joked with each other at the doorway. Anna was hitting on her desk with Chelsea and Brenda standing there. Chelsea's eyes found Max as he walked inside.

"Hello Max", she said seductively.

Anan and Brenda giggled.

He stopped at his desk in front of her and laid down the history book. With a quick move though Chelsea took the notebook from his hands.

"It's kinda cute, ya know", she said. "My color too".

Max narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. For a second his eyes wandered down to her cleavage.

Noticing it she smiled cockily and with her arms squeezed her breasts together.

"Want a better few, Maxie"? She teased.

The next thing she noticed was the barrel of a gun pointed at her head.

Her eyes widened and her body started shaking. Anna and Brenda screamed and Anna jerked off the desk and out of the classroom.

All eyes turned to Chelsea and Max.

Terrified the classroom quickly emptied of students who all panicked.


	2. Chapter 2

Action and Reaction Chapter 2

Chelsea stood with her whole body shaking with widened eyes pointed to the pistol Max just aimed at her head. She slowly with a trembling hand reached out with the notebook.

"Y-y-you want i-it b-back, M-Max"? She stuttered in terrified horror.

He slapped it away, making her squeal in fear for a second.

"I-I was only j-joking… r-really I-I"…

"Shut up"! Max barked.

He back away to the classroom door and closed it. He cursed loudly with the gun still aimed at Chelsea. He glanced out the window but saw no one. His classmates has without a doubt told someone by now and the police was probably on the way. He had to think of something fast.

He was torn away from his thought of a sound. He glanced up and found Chelsea weeping.

"Not so funny anymore, huh"? He asked angrily.

She didn't reply. She was way too scared and had closed her eyes, hoping the wake up in her bedroom.

"Answer"! He snapped.

She flinched and her eyes snapped open.

She shook her head violently.

In the next moment a bullet left the barrel of the gun and smacked the wall a few meters behind her. She screamed. It took a few moments until she realized she wasn't hit. Her legs felt like spaghetti and her widened tear filled eyes stared at Max.

"P-please", she managed. "P-Please Ma"…

"Shut up"!

"I-it was j-just a joke, please d-don't hurt"… she wept.

"Shut up"! Max pulled the trigger again and Chelsea screamed.

It hit the wall beside the other bullet.

While Max is trying to figure out how to end all this and not get into too much trouble minutes go by, ten, twenty, thirty minutes.

"Hello"! A male voice called in from the hallway.

Max looked over his shoulder and removed the gun from Chelsea for a moment. He didn't see anybody. He took a few steps closer to the closed door.

"Who's there"! Max demanded.

"My name is Special Agent Gibbs", the male voice replied. "I'm from NCIS. It stands for"…

"I know what it stands for"! Max snapped.

"Okay, okay", Gibbs replied calmly. "Is Chelsea Vaughn okay"?

Max glanced back at the crying redhead.

"Yeah, she's fine… for now"!

"I need to hear that from her Max, I want to talk to her", Gibbs said.

"Don't come in"!

"I won't", the agent assured. "But I need to hear Chelsea speak Max".

Max cursed under his breath and waved the gun at Chelsea.

"Come on", he ordered. "Speak".

Her only reaction was increased crying.

"Come on"!

"Easy Max", Gibbs said to him firmly. "You can still get out of this. Don't make it worse by hurting her".

Max looked between the door and Chelsea.

She collapsed to her knees with her hands covering her head.

"Tell him you're okay, say it", Max demanded.

Gibbs leaned against the wall and heard the crying coming from inside.

"She's scared Max", he said. "If you put the gun away we can"…

"No"! The kid snapped yet again.

Gibbs could hear on his voice he didn't know what to do or how to get out of this. With a hostage, this was a very dangerous combination.

"Why don't we exchange Chelsea for me? I'm worth more".

Max chuckled darkly.

"And you'd disarm me before I'd even blink", he said. "No thanks. Now piss off".

"Listen Max", Gibbs tried gently.

"Leave"!

Max squeezed the trigger again and a bullet hit the wall across the room. Chelsea screamed and curled into a ball on the floor. Her hair spread out in every direction and her crying continued nonstop. Her face was wet from all the tears streaming down.

Hearing her made a lump in Gibbs throat. He couldn't stand hearing her. He wanted to end this and get her out as quickly as possible. But he also wanted to get Max out alive too.

"If you keep doing that, I will have to choice but to go inside Max", Gibbs warned. "I don't want to hurt you, but you aren't giving me any options".

Returning to another room where they had set up Gibbs spotted Dinozzo speaking with a police detective. Ellie Bishop was on the phone, trying to contact Chelsea and Max's parents. McGee walked up to him.

"Any luck boss"? He asked quickly.

"Not much, what you got"? Gibbs retorted.

"Bishop have contacted Chelsea Vaughn's family and her mother and father is on the way", McGee said. "Her father, Jake Vaughn was about to be deployed but he is being transporter here as quickly as possible. Max Wellington's mother is apparently dead. The father, Adam Cart was suspected for it but they couldn't prove it. We are still trying to contact either him or Max's stepmother".

"Dinozzo", Gibbs said.

"Boss", Dinozzo looked up and with quick steps walked over. "Police got a team of snipers across the street and the entire area sealed off". He looked at Gibbs. "How you wanna play this"?

Dinozzo could tell Gibbs didn't like that there was snipers ready to shoot the kid. He didn't like it either off course. Killing a kid wasn't something he wanted to do in his lifetime. Gibbs probably had a plan to get both out of there.


	3. Chapter 3

Action and Reaction Chapter 3

McGee walked into the school brief room used by the authorities with a middle aged tan skinned man with a marine cut behind him. He had a scar on his left cheek. His grey eyes scanned the room and the three men in SWAT gear standing in the corner by a few computers. He spotted an older man with grey hair who looked to be the man in charge at the scene.

He noticed him and stepped over to meet him. He reached out and shook his hand.

"Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I'm in command".

"Marine Corporal Nickolas Vickers", he introduced himself. "I'm Max's uncle".

Gibbs glanced at McGee questionable.

"Where's Max's father"? Gibbs asked.

"Mr Wellington's locked up for a drunken brawl. The police was perfectly willing to temporarily let him go and when they did"…

"My brother went home", Vickers finished with anger. "My brother doesn't care much for Max. I am in a legal dispute with him and his new wife over custody of Max. We're going to court next month".

Gibbs nodded understandingly.

"Is Max okay"? Vickers changed the subject.

Gibbs hesitated to respond. It gave Vickers a bad feeling.

"He's taken a classmate hostage", Gibbs said firmly. "Where could he have gotten a gun, Corporal Vickers"?

"Ahem… his dad owns a few pistols", Vickers explained worriedly. He nodded to the door. "Look, I saw the tactical unit and the sniper on the house across the street and the yard. I know what happens next. Please, get him out alive", he pleaded.

"I am going to do what I can to get both those kids out of there alive", Gibbs promised. He cleared his throat.

"Who is he holding"?

"Chelsea Vaughn", Gibbs noticed Vickers recognized the name.

"You know her"?

"No, I know her father, Jake Vaughn. He and I was in the same unit in Afghanistan".

"Sorry, boss… got a moment"? Dinozzo asked.

"Excuse me". He walked over to Bishop and Dinozzo.

"I got a motive for the whole thing", Dinozzo said.

Gibbs looked at him, waiting for him to say something while Dinozzo waits for Gibbs to speak. Bishop glanced between them awkwardly.

"Well"? Gibbs raised his arms.

"Oh, eh… I spoke with a few students who describe Max as a loner. He was picked on by a few different kids but apparently Chelsea Vaughn went harder than the rest on him", he paused. "It looks like Max is trying to deal with a bully on his own sense no one else cared or wanted to help", Dinozzo spoke.

Gibbs sighed deeply.

"Kid was pushed to the point where a gun seemed like the only way out", he scratched his forehead.

"He had one friend. Hugo O'Brian. He says Max never showed any signs of taking it this far", Bishop added. "But it talked sometimes about taking care of… what he called the 'Chelsea problem' but he says it was just talk".

"Looks like it was a tad more than that, huh", Dinozzo commented.

"Nobody we spoke to apparently thinks Max would ever hurt Chelsea. But they didn't think he would bring a gun to school in the first place so"…

"We can't really take it to heart", Dinozzo

A police officer walked up and said something to McGee in Gibbs peripheral vision. He glanced to his left and McGee nodded and told the officer something. Than he walked over to them.

"Eh, boss. Mrs Vaughn has arrived. The police is showing her in", McGee said quietly for no particular reason.

Gibbs nodded.

In a moment a woman of regular height with long blonde silk hair walked in with a police officer. She looked to be in her mid-forties. Her blue eyes looked for someone in charge in the room. Her eyes showed fear and endless worry. Her hands was clapped together in front of her.

"Mrs Teresa Vaughn"? Gibbs asked.

Her eyes flickered to the agent and she nodded.

"Yes"? She quickly replied.

"I am Special Agent Gibbs", he introduced himself.

"How's my daughter"? Teresa immediately asked.

Gibbs gestured her to take a seat at the closest table but she declined.

"She is scared. But, otherwise unharmed as far as we can tell", Gibbs explained. "We are"…

"As far as you can tell"? She snapped. "What do you mean, don't you know"?

"Mrs Vaughn. I promise you I am doing everything possible to get your daughter out safely", Gibbs reassured her.

Teresa sat down on a close by chair and buried her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry", she apologized for snapping at him. "I just"…

Gibbs sat down on a chair in front of her. And looked at her sympathetically.

She lifted her head and wiped a tear from bellow her right eye.

The next moment Jake Vaughn walked in through the door.

"Honey", he said upon seeing his wife.

She stood up and embraced him. Her tears started flooding and she cried into his shoulder.

He rubbed her back gently.


	4. Chapter 4

Action and Reaction Chapter 4

Gibbs walked down the hallway towards the classroom with McGee on his heels. Gibbs was bringing McGee to speak to Max in hopes that perhaps he might be more comfortable to speak with a younger man that wasn't either the most popular in school. If they have some common ground than it might go a long way to end this situation with both kids getting out alive.

Gibbs stopped and nodded to McGee.

"Max"? McGee called in.

"Stay away from the door"!

"I'm not going in, Max", McGee assured. "I just wanna talk".

Max cursed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm not letting her go"!

McGee glanced at Gibbs who nodded encouragingly.

"My name is Tim", McGee introduced himself. "I just wanna talk okay? I know how it is. I know how it feels to get pushed around by other students because they're bigger or more popular".

He gave him a little moment to respond if he wanted to before continuing.

"You wanna make them feel exactly how you feel. You wanna give them back their own medicine. It's even harder if no one want to help you or acknowledges that you even have a problem, or that you exist".

Max listened to the young voice without shouting at him. He still pointed his gun at Chelsea who was sitting in the corner now. Her cheeks was wet from all the crying and she still trembled in fear.

"But don't you think she's understood your point already, Max"? McGee asked.

Max glanced away from the door to Chelsea. She violently nodded her head while hugging her knees.

"Do you know why some people bully others Max"? McGee continued. "Because they're unsecure. It's because popular kids have the power to do it and it's also a reason why they pick on those who are loners or those who in other ways are less likely to do anything. Bullies won't go up against a group of people, only one or two at the time. Their group of friends make them feel safer while doing it. That's why they often do it in groups".

Max's thoughts went to Anna and Brenda who was Chelsea's best friends and were always with her when she picked on someone.

McGee cleared his throat.

"Think of Chelsea's parents, Max. Think of what they would feel if something happened to her. Do you want to make them go through something like that"?

McGee paused.

"…N-no", Max hesitated.

Tears started forming in his bloodshot eyes.

"Max"? McGee said calmly. "Can I come inside"?

"…S-sure".

Slowly McGee opened the door and stepped inside. He gently closed the door behind him, leaving Gibbs outside.

Coming inside he saw Max pointing the pistol at Chelsea who sat two meters away from him. She was cowering and her body was shaking. Her face was wet from tears and her eyes flickered and stuck on him. Pleading him to help her. Max was squeezing the pistol harder as his tears dripped down his cheeks.

"Why don't you give me the gun, Max"? McGee suggested.

He stopped five meters away from him.

"No", Max said hesitantly.

"Think about your next decision Max", McGee told him. "It isn't just her life at stake. But yours too. You have people who care about you, just like she has".

"No, I don't".

"Your uncle is here".

Max glanced over his shoulder at the agent.

"R-really"?

McGee nodded.

Max looked between Chelsea and McGee for a moment. McGee reached out and slowly stepped closer.

Max hand started shaking and his index finger squeezed around the trigger. Chelsea's eyes widened and she tried in vain to crawl closer into the corner.

"P-please M-Max", her trembling voice managed.

"Max", McGee said, his hand touching the end of his own weapon which still was in the back of his pants. "Think… you don't wanna do this, do you"?

Max cursed under his breath and lowered the pistol with a sighed. McGee gently grabbed in from him and placed it on a desk nearby.

"We're good boss"! He called out.

Gibbs and two men in tactical gear entered.

Gibbs walked up to them and gave McGee an approving nod.

"I'm going to have to cuff you now Max", Gibbs said.

McGee helped Chelsea up on her feet. She sighed in relief while tears still escaped her. She held his hand hard as she sobbed loudly.

"It's okay, it's all over now", McGee told her.

He led her out of the classroom and down the hallway.

"Chelsea"!

Chelsea looked up upon hearing her mother's voice. Seeing her parents coming toward her and let go of McGee and ran to them.

"Mommy, Daddy"!

She hugged them both and they embraced her tightly. Chelsea put her head on their connecting shoulders and cried louder.

"Are you okay baby"? Teresa asked, holding her own tears back.

"Mom…dad", was all Chelsea could get herself to say.

"Everything is going to be okay sweetheart", Jake Vaughn promised her.

Dinozzo walked by the reunited family and up to McGee.

"Nice work McGeek", he smiled.

McGee rolled his eyes as Dinozzo clapped him approvingly in the back.

"Got both out alive. Really nice work", Dinozzo added sincerely.

Max Wellington spent eleven months in a correctional facility before he returned to Westyard High. At that point he lived his his uncle who had full custody over him.

Chelsea Vaughn was home for a month after the experienced but continued after returning to see the school counselor on a regular basis of three times a week. She was never mean to another student during her remaining time at the High School. For almost a year she had nightmares about the event with Max. When Max returned after a year she was terrified of him at sight and her nightmares returned to plague her. Max was shortly moved to another class. Three months after returning Max changed school and he and his uncle moved to another part of town.


	5. Chapter 5 Alternative ending

Action and Reaction Chapter 5 Alternative ending

_The ending is a bit differently here._

Gibbs walked down the hallway towards the classroom with McGee on his heels. Gibbs was bringing McGee to speak to Max in hopes that perhaps he might be more comfortable to speak with a younger man that wasn't either the most popular in school. If they have some common ground than it might go a long way to end this situation with both kids getting out alive.

Gibbs stopped and nodded to McGee.

"Max"? McGee called in.

"Stay away from the door"!

"I'm not going in, Max", McGee assured. "I just wanna talk".

Max cursed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm not letting her go"!

McGee glanced at Gibbs who nodded encouragingly.

"My name is Tim", McGee introduced himself. "I just wanna talk okay? I know how it is. I know how it feels to get pushed around by other students because they're bigger or more popular".

He gave him a little moment to respond if he wanted to before continuing.

"You wanna make them feel exactly how you feel. You wanna give them back their own medicine. It's even harder if no one want to help you or acknowledges that you even have a problem, or that you exist".

Max listened to the young voice without shouting at him. He still pointed his gun at Chelsea who was sitting in the corner now. Her cheeks was wet from all the crying and she still trembled in fear.

"But don't you think she's understood your point already, Max"? McGee asked.

Max glanced away from the door to Chelsea. She violently nodded her head while hugging her knees.

"Do you know why some people bully others Max"? McGee continued. "Because they're unsecure. It's because popular kids have the power to do it and it's also a reason why they pick on those who are loners or those who in other ways are less likely to do anything. Bullies won't go up against a group of people, only one or two at the time. Their group of friends make them feel safer while doing it. That's why they often do it in groups".

Max's thoughts went to Anna and Brenda who was Chelsea's best friends and were always with her when she picked on someone.

McGee cleared his throat.

"Think of Chelsea's parents, Max. Think of what they would feel if something happened to her. Do you want to make them go through something like that"?

McGee paused.

"…N-no", Max hesitated.

Tears started forming in his bloodshot eyes.

"Max"? McGee said calmly. "Can I come inside"?

"…S-sure".

Slowly McGee opened the door and stepped inside. He gently closed the door behind him, leaving Gibbs outside.

Coming inside he saw Max half pointed the pistol at Chelsea who sat two meters away from him. She was cowering and her body was shaking. Her face was wet from tears and her eyes flickered and stuck on him. Pleading him to help her. Max was squeezing the pistol harder as his tears dripped down his cheeks.

"Why don't you give me the gun, Max"? McGee suggested.

He stopped five meters away from him.

"No", Max said hesitantly.

"Think about your next decision Max", McGee told him. "It isn't just her life at stake. But yours too. You have people who care about you, just like she has".

"No, I don't".

"Your uncle is here".

Max glanced over his shoulder at the agent.

"R-really"?

McGee nodded.

Max looked between Chelsea and McGee for a moment. McGee reached out and slowly stepped closer.

Max raised the gun and pointed it at Chelsea's head. His index finger squeezed the trigger and a bullet went off.

Chelsea screamed and covered her face with her hands.

"_McGee"!_ Gibbs yelled anxiously in the earpiece.

McGee slowly lowered his pistol with trembling hands.

"_McGee, say something"!_

"It's over", McGee said.

Gibbs and two men in tactical gear entered.

He saw McGee holstering his gun and Max's lifeless form on the ground. He still had the pistol in his hands. McGee stared at the seventeen year olds form without a word.

Gibbs walked over and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You did what you had to".

McGee helped Chelsea up on her feet. She sighed in relief while tears still escaped her. She held his hand hard as she sobbed loudly.

"It's okay, it's all over now", McGee told her.

He led her out of the classroom and down the hallway.

"Chelsea"!

Chelsea looked up upon hearing her mother's voice. Seeing her parents coming toward her and let go of McGee and ran to them.

"Mommy, Daddy"!

She hugged them both and they embraced her tightly. Chelsea put her head on their connecting shoulders and cried louder.

"Are you okay baby"? Teresa asked, holding her own tears back.

"Mom…dad", was all Chelsea could get herself to say.

"Everything is going to be okay sweetheart", Jake Vaughn promised her.

Dinozzo and Bishop walked by the reunited family and up to McGee.

"Nice work McGee. It wasn't your fault, you know", he said.

"He's right", Bishop agreed gently.

McGee looked at the reuniting family and spotted Max's uncle Corporal Vickers further away in the hallway. He looked anxiously at the agents and Chelsea and her parents. He was trying to find his nephew and it worried him and he couldn't see him. McGee took a step forward when Gibbs laid a hand on his shoulder.

"No, I'll take care of this", he said.


End file.
